Elsie Dinsmore | Page 8

Bible
before her, she poured out her story of sins and sorrows, in simple,
child-like words, into the ears of the dear Saviour whom she loved so
well; confessing that when she had done well and suffered for it, she
had not taken it patiently, and earnestly pleading that she might be
made like unto the meek and lowly Jesus. Low sobs burst from her
burdened heart, and the tears of penitence fell upon the pages of the
holy book. But when she rose from her knees, her load of sin and
sorrow was all gone, and her heart made light and happy with a sweet
sense of peace and pardon. Once again, as often before, the little Elsie
was made to experience the blessedness of "the man whose
transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered."
She now set to work diligently at her studies, and ere the party returned
was quite prepared to meet Miss Day, having attended faithfully to all
she had required of her. The lesson was recited without the smallest
mistake, every figure of the examples worked out correctly, and the
page of the copy-book neatly and carefully written.
Miss Day had been in a very captious mood all day, and seemed really
provoked that Elsie had not given her the smallest excuse for
fault-finding. Handing the book back to her, she said, very coldly, "I
see you can do your duties well enough when you choose."
Elsie felt keenly the injustice of the remark, and longed to say that she
had tried quite as earnestly in the morning; but she resolutely crushed
down the indignant feeling, and calling to mind the rash words that had
cost her so many repentant tears, she replied meekly, "I am sorry I did

not succeed better this morning, Miss Day, though I did really try; and I
am still more sorry for the saucy answer I gave you; and I ask your
pardon for it."
"You ought to be sorry," replied Miss Day, severely, "and I hope you
are; for it was a very impertinent speech indeed, and deserving of a
much more severe punishment than you received. Now go, and never
let me hear anything of the kind from you again."
Poor little Elsie's eyes filled with tears at these ungracious words,
accompanied by a still more ungracious manner; but she turned away
without a word, and placing her books and slate carefully in her desk,
left the room.
Rose Allison was sitting alone in her room that evening, thinking of her
far-distant home, when hearing a gentle rap at her door, she rose and
opened it to find Elsie standing there with her little Bible in her hand.
"Come in, darling," she said, stooping to give the little one a kiss; "I am
very glad to see you."
"I may stay with you for half an hour, Miss Allison, if you like," said
the child, seating herself on the low ottoman pointed out by Rose, "and
then mammy is coming to put me to bed."
"It will be a very pleasant half-hour to both of us, I hope," replied Rose,
opening her Bible.
They read a chapter together--Rose now and then pausing to make a
few explanations--and then kneeling down, she offered up a prayer for
the teachings of the Spirit, and for God's blessing on themselves and all
their dear ones.
"Dear little Elsie," she said, folding the child in her arms, when they
had risen from their knees, "how I love you already, and how very glad
I am to find that there is one in this house beside myself who loves
Jesus, and loves to study His word, and to call upon His name."

"Yes, dear Miss Allison; and there is more than one, for mammy loves
Him, too, very dearly," replied the little girl, earnestly.
"Does she, darling? Then I must love her, too, for I cannot help loving
all who love my Saviour."
Then Rose sat down, and drawing the little girl to a seat on her knee,
they talked sweetly together of the race they were running, and the
prize they hoped to obtain at the end of it; of the battle they were
fighting, and the invisible foes with whom they were called to
struggle--the armor that had been provided, and of Him who had
promised to be the Captain of their salvation, and to bring them off
more than conquerors. They were pilgrims in the same straight and
narrow way, and it was very pleasant thus to walk a little while together.
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the
Lord hearkened and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written
before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His
name.